June 25, 1999

Well the first CD idea worked really well, I got a lot of responses and
was able to find enough of them to fill up a set as well a set of my first
five CDs.  My first one was a blues compilation which I got for around
$15, a cheap CD at the time, then I sent away for 3 Spirit of the West
albums from Stoney Plain records, then I picked up The Proclaimers.

Michelle liked the idea so much she wants to do it again, this time the
theme is misheard lyrics, my example is by REM the song The Sidewinder
sleeps tonight when Stipe sings "Call me when you try to wake her up" I
always thought it was "Calling Jamaica", hey that's what is sounded like
to me OK. There have also been a series of books about this with the
title "Scuse my While I Kiss This Guy" from the Jimi Hendrix song.  Anyway
send in you favourite misheard lyric.

Fireball XL5 Setlist June 25/ 1999

 TALK-Theme
The Donnas - Get Rid of That Girl
The Planet Smashers - All Men Fear Women
Wooden Stars - The Summer I Drank Myself to Death
Mummble Ducks - Rocks & Bottles
Julie Dioron - Stay Now, Then Go
 TALK (Other people's first CDs)
Squeeze - Another Nail in My Heart (Singles, 45s and under) Stephen
Robinson
Cottage Industry - Jughead Jones (Superstar) Wayne Jenkinson
Rimsky Korsakov - The Young Prince, The Young Princess (Steven Fassnacht)
REM - The One I Love (Document) Sari Morrison or Derek Weiler
Pogues - If I Should Fall From Grace With God (IISFFGWG) Dave Claerhout
or Derek Weiler
Billy Bragg - A New England (request - the guy's first CD as well)
 TALK (My first five CDs)
Aurthur Crudup - That's Allright Now Mama
Spirit of the West - John Goodman (Old Material)
Spirit of the West - Till the Cows Come Home (Tripping up the Stairs)
Spirit of the West - Darkhouse (Labour Day)
The Proclaimers - Then I Met You (Sunshine on Leith)
 TALK
Wonderstuff - Caught in My Shadow (request)
Pavement - Gold Soundz
Mercury Rev - Delta Sun Bottleneck Stomp
Chemical Brothers - Hey Girl, Hey Boy
Jamiroquai - Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
Cibo Matto - Sci-Fi Wasabe
 TALK
Ron Sexsmith - Right About Now
Don Kerr - The Sniffing Princess
Rheostatics - Record Body Count
Beth Orton - Precious Maybe

Other people's first CDs I couldn't (or wouldn't) play:

Peter Brown - Genesis (Genesis) 
Jayson Innes - Beatles (Revolver)
Mary Ference - Rick Astley or possibly Tears for Fears

Did you own a CD player before you bought your first CD:
No - 5 Yes - 4

June 11, 1999

Just a typical show, a tribute to the recently passed away Mel Torme and a
set coming from the Tragically Hip song Bobcaygeon:  Does anyone know when
if the reference to "The men they couldn't hang" in the Tragically Hip
refer to the late 80s (early 90s and recently reformed) band of the same
name, in the song it talks about them having an "aryan twang", I didn't
find any evidence of this when I researched the Men the Couldn't Hang?

Also, my next show is going to be as close as I am going to be to July 1,
and no I'm not doing an all-Canadian show, but it is the 10th anniversary
of me buying my first CD player (I remember because I was on a work term
in Alberta and back then they allowed stores to open on holidays).  So I'm
going to be playing selections from the first CDs I ever purchased.  This
is where I want your input, just answer the questions:

1) what was the first CD you ever bought?

2) did you own a CD player at the time?

I'll try and have a set of everybody's first CD.


Fireball XL5 Setlist June 11, 1999

Theme
 TALK
Show Business Giants - I've Got a Crush on Wendy Mesley
Jack Tripper - Sounds Familiar
Wooden Stars - Romantic Machinery
Planet Smashers - Super Orgy Porno Party
Rawlins Cross - Peace on the Inside
 TALK
Pale Saints - Time Thief (request)
Go-Betweens - Streets of Your Town
Cracker - White Riot
The Muffs - Blow Your Mind
Mr. T. Experience - King Dork
 TALK
Weird Paul - Acting like Mel Torme
Mel Torme - I've Got the World on a String
Harry Connick Jr. - Nowhere with Love
Maynard Ferguson - Chameleon
Kyp Harness - I Believe in You
 TALK
Tragically Hip - Bobcaygeon
Men They Could Not Hang - Bounty Hunter
The Pogues - Misty Morning Albert Street Bridge
Kristy McColl - He Never Mentioned Love
Elvis Costello - I'll Never Fall in Love Again
 TALK
Interstellar Force - Star Wars Theme
Chemical Brothers - Hey Boy, Hey Girl
Cibo Matto - Spoon
Negativeland/Chumbawumba - Smelly Water
Dee - Lite - Groove is in the Heart
PM Dawn - You've Got Me Floatin
Sugar - Helpless
 TALK
Wetspots - Blitzkrieg Polka                  **Note 1

Note 1: This is the song I was mixing up with the Ramones Blitzkrieg Bop,
you see I'm not crazy.

May 21, 1999

I arrived back in Waterloo just in time to do my regular radio show, and
was joined by the Ambassador (Peter Brown) who brought a selection of
songs.  (I labelled only one set as his, but the last half hour was
probably equally selected by the both of us)

As The Phantom Menace had just opened we played a few songs with a Star
Wars related theme, as well as playing some bands which are playing in the
area in the near future.  I also had to play the Dik Van Dykes
"Beachcombers" as the Monday before the show I was visiting my cousin
Linda in Gibson's and we had lunch at Molly's Reach, and while in
Vancouver I was at the CD release party for Boomdaddy.


Fireball XL5 Setlist May 21, 1999

Mumble Ducks - North of the Ridges
Dik Van Dykes - Beachcombers           
Boomdaddy - Hold Your Head High
 TALK-Theme
The Planet Smashers - Too Much Attitude
Skavenjah - Sunny Side of Life
The Flashing Lights - High School
Julie Dioron - Will You Still Love Me in December
Corduroy Leda - 80 Bucks
 TALK (Peter's Set)
Motorhead - Killed by Death                     **Note 1
Pavement - Rattled by the Rush                  **Note 1
Silver Jews - Advice to the Graduate          
Butterglory - The Skills of the Star Pilot      **Note 2
People from Earth - Join the Darkside           **Note 2
Billy Bragg & Wilco - California Stars
 TALK
Fountains of Wayne - Denise
Tom Waits - Eyeball Kid
Mayor McCa - Love song for Queen Victoria       **Note 1
Pavement - No more Kings
Starbean - No earthly means of Transportation
 TALK
Clash - Police on my back (request)
Look Blue, Go Purple - Wild rumour
Wedding Present - My Favourite Dress
Johnny Cash - Tennessee Stud
Ween - Help me scrape the mucus off my brain
 TALK
Guided by Voices- Acorns & Orioles

** Note 1: Performing live in the area in the near future
** Note 2: Phantom Menace connection, Peter said that according to Derek
the song was inspired by an original Star Wars trading card of Han Solo
piloting the Millenium Falcon with the caption "skills of the star pilot",
the people from earth songs has many a sample from the original Trilogy

May 7, 1999

Although it has only been four days since the show it seems a lot longer
as in the meantime I have travelled to Banff for a conference where I am
sending this e-mail.  After Banff I am travelling to Vancouver for a few
days to visit my relatives (Hey Wayne if you get this send me your phone
number so I can give you a call).

Anyway, about the show, Dave Fisher joined Michelle and I in what I called
"Dave's Revenge", as he said that he brought songs which he would like to
hear on CKMS (Dave listens to the station as much as I do) but they either
can't or won't play it.  Every song had an interesting story behind it, I
gave a brief description of one in particular after the setlist.  You can
contact Dave directly if you have anymore questions about his choices.



Fireball XL5 Setlist May 7, 1999

North of America - Bouyonet Point
Corduray Leda - Shut Down
The 6ths - When I'm out of town
 TALK-Theme
Mayor McCa - I'm so poor, buy my CD
Piggy - The person behind the counter
The Saboteurs - Man from E.N.I.G.M.A.
Cecil Seaskull - Bells On
Dan the Radio Man - Spooky Spooky Halloween
 TALK (Dave set 1)
Raymond Scott - The Happy Whistler         **Note 1
The Clears - Frozen Fun
Starbean - Starbeam
The Tornadoes - Telstar
Two Dollar Guitar - Patagonia
Stereolab - Doubt
 TALK (Michelle's set)
Lion Rock - Fire up the Showsaw
Poi Dog Pondering - Berry
Beck - Electric Music & the Summer people
Solex - One Louder
Bettie Seveert - What Friends?
Ben Lee - Cigarettes Will Kill You
 TALK (Dave Set 2)
Spastiks - Long Cold Walk
Ajejan dro Escovedo - I was Drunk      (request)
Quonset - Exodus
King Loser - Solid Sky Nine
 TALK
Colour Me Pyscho - My Favourite Nightmare

Note 1:  Raymond Scott was an electronic music pioneer, he experimented
with sound made entirely from synthesizers back in the early 60s.  This
album was supposed to be used to sedate children and put them to sleep, he
made three albums in this vain, this one was designed for children aged
6-12 months.  This particular songs didn't sound that far off of a lot of
today's electronic music.

April 22, 1999

It seems like just last week I was writing one of these, actually it was,
because Charlene (the person I alternate with) called me last Friday and
asked me to do the show because she was tired.  So this show I had an
excuse not to have anything prepared before the show, I threw together
some vinyl albums that I've been gradually transporting from my parents
house.  It also turned out that a lot of show was on vinyl.  In case you
are interested Charlene and I are now alternating so Fireball XL5 will be
back in two weeks.


Fireball XL5 Setlist April 22/ 1999

B'Ehl - Mies Pleez *
Jim Guthrie - Roads & Paper Routes
Justin Curtis - Just Tell My Why
 TALK - Theme
Piggy - Gottingen Street *               These two songs were not
Spirit of the West - Gottingen Street *  the same.
Ron Sexsmith - Average Joe
One Shot Left - For Granted
Sons of Freedom - Mona Lisa *
 TALK
Dead Milkmen - You'll Dance to Anything * (Request) ** see Note 1
The Cure - Standing on a Beach
New Order - ICB *
Bad March + Shri - Distrubed Synapses
Random - Crate on a Sofa
Fatboy Slim - Soul Surfing
Stereolab - The Light the will Cease to fail
Saint Etienne - You're in a Bad Way
 TALK
Ben Lee - Burn to Shine
Wilton Said - In My Dreams
Poi Dog Pondering - Hard Sometime
Wilco - ELT
King Missle - Detachable Penis (Request)
 TALK
Grover Washington Jr - Just the Two of Us *
Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis - You Don't Need to be a Star *
Lou Rawls - You'll Never Find *
The Gap Band - Early in the Morning *
Earth, Wind, and Fire - Can't Let Go *
 TALK
The Gruesomes  - Why Me *

* Vinyl

** Note 1 - I always play the Cure after the Dead Milkmen song as it seems
like they are talking about Robert Smith "they come over here with their
big hair intent on taking our money" but when they go through the bands at
the end they mention the Smiths, Depeche Mode, etc. but they don't mention
the Cure.  I have always wondered if this was on purpose.

April 16, 1999

My friend Jayson Innes joined me for this show which featured an absentee
set from Michelle featureing some of her favourite summer songs.  I also
surprised Jayson by forcing him to put together a set and of course I had
to play one about Wayne Gretzky as it was in the middle of his retirement.
As a challenge try to guess what each song has to do with Gretzky and I'll
put the answers after the setlist.


Fireball XL5 Setlist April 16

Ron Sexsmith - Thinking Out Loud
Tom Waits - Cold Cold Ground
 TALK-Theme
Cate Friesen - Broken Ship
Plumtree - Latitude
Derivation - Ancient History
TV Iris - Electric
Stereolab - Au Grand Tour
 TALK (Michelle's Summer Set)
Ben Lee - I am a Sunflower
The Smiths - Please, Please, Please, Let me get what I want
Martha and the Muffins - Echo Beach
Wilco - Summer Teeth
Rufus Wainwright - Milbrook
Beat Happening - Indian Summer
Fatboy Slim - Ganster Tripping
 TALK (Jayson's Set)
Lowest of the Low - So Long Bernie
Hayden - Take
BT with Richard Butler - Shineaway
Propellerheads - Skybreak
Orb - Little Fluffy Clouds
 TALK (Gretzky Set)
King Missle - Jesus was way cool
Bran Van 3000 - Drinking in LA
Chixdiggit - I feel like Gerry Cheevers
Pursuit of Happiness - She's the Devil
B'Ehl - Happening Again
Creation - Making Time
 TALK
Johnny Cash - Beans for Breakfast


Answer's Below:





















King Missle - Jesus was way cool  
    - song mentions that Jesus could have scored more goals than Gretzky

Bran Van 3000 - Drinking in LA
    - Gretzky playing for the Kings

Chixdiggit - I feel like Gerry Cheevers
    - apart from the hockey reference, Michelle told me the band
      was from Edmonton (actually from Calgary)

Pursuit of Happiness - She's the Devil
    - Pursuit of Happiness is from Edmonton

B'Ehl - Happening Again
    - Kind of a stretch, Gretzky's from Brantford, Alexander Graham Bell
      emigrated to Brantford from Scotland before moving to the United
      States and inventing something.  OK so you try thinking of five
      songs about Gretzky at 4:00 pm on a Friday.

Creation - Making Time
    - Not actually part of the set, just something to fill up the show

March 22, 1999

I've got to get this thing out quicker.

My friend Steven Fassnacht joined me on this show, to play his angry
german music as well a tape of one his own projects (Reborne Airjects).  I
finally got to my Housemartins-Beautiful South-Fatboy Slim set, the one
thing which surprised me when I was doing research for it was that the
Housemartins only released proper 2 albums, for some reason I thought they
had a lot more.  There were also a few songs dedicated to events at the
Jane Bond Cafe (Tom Waits and The Pogues) where I ended up 4 times in the
week before the show, I had fun but now I have a lot really smokeyclothes.

Fireball XL5 Setlist March 22/1999

Inconnu - Green Boat
Tom Waits - I hope that I don't fall in love with you
The Pogues - Lullaby of London
 TALK-Theme
The Kramdens - Down
Frank Black and the Catholics - You're such a Wire
Wilco - I'm Always in Love
Sleeter King - The End of you
Leo Soileau - Demain C'est pas dimanche
 TALK
Husker Du - I Apologize
Skydiggers - Pull me down
Uisce Beatha - Bottle's End
Dwight Yoakim - Train in Vain
Brent Hagerman - Pound Dog Blues
 TALK
Dayglo Abortions - Stupid World
Reborne Airjects - Shit Shack (Fassnacht's band)
Red Lorry Yellow Lorry - Talk about the weather
Strassenjungs - Daver Lutscher
Neil Young - Piece of Crap
Johnny Cowell - Carnival of Venice
 TALK
Housemartins - Me and the Farmer
Housemartins - Sheep
Beautiful South - A Little Time
Beats International - Change your mind
 TALK
Fatboy Slim - Praise You